Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 15, 1995 TAG: 9505160017
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Of course people traveling from Detroit to Charleston are not going to go the long way around through Roanoke when they can take I-77!
Interstate highways don't just serve the end points, but all the cities in between. When was the last time critics in Southwest Virginia used I-81 to travel from Knoxville, Tenn., to Canada? The point is that Martinsville-Henry County and Rockingham County in North Carolina need an interstate highway, and I-73 looks like the only way we can get one.
Not so long ago, the Martinsville-Henry County area was one of the largest manufacturing areas in the state of Virginia. (Yes, it is in Virginia, for those of you who think the state line is about 5 miles south of Rocky Mount.) Jobs in this community have disappeared by the thousands in recent years, and it is extremely difficult to get them back. Although there are a number of factors involved, companies want to have their trucks on an interstate highway within a few minutes.
Right now we are stuck with dangerous, winding, narrow roads - many of them two-lane. It takes about an hour to get to an interstate going north or south, an hour-and-a-half going west, and two to three hours going east. We don't even have a direct route to Winston-Salem.
I commute to Wake Forest University to take graduate classes, and about 90 percent of the trip is on no fewer than six different two-lane highways. No wonder Sara Lee Knit Products (based in Winston-Salem) is closing down plants in this area.
I realize that in budget-cutting times we may not get the funds for our highway, but it is needed. Most of us in this part of the state are grateful to Sen. John Warner and Rep. L. F. Payne for trying to help us.
GAEL M. CHANEY
MARTINSVILLE
Human goodness is affirmed in tragedy
WHAT A relief to read in the newspaper on May 5 two hope-inspiring, heart-warming articles! The Associated Press story ``Back to work can mean trauma in Oklahoma City,'' and staff writer Ann Donahue's ``Silent voices cried out to Blacksburg rescuer'' were outstanding.
The goodness in human nature is affirmed in individuals singly and collectively. We can all be inspired by stories of such empathy and generosity. Please give us more.
HELEN CRESS
FINCASTLE
Allen has ignored Virginia's interests
I'VE NEVER seen a time when Virginians and all Americans were more angry at the Republican Party. Whether in Congress, the General Assembly or the governor's mansion in Virginia, Republicans have ignored the will of the people and have violated the voters' trust.
The worst violations have come from Gov. George Allen, and Republican senators and delegates whom he has tied around his finger.
Allen has set aside the long-term future of Virginians to try to further his crumbling political career. He has placed Republican Party politics above the interests of the people.
He has ignored a voter mandate to return lottery profits to education as promised, and has vetoed the motor-voter law that makes it easier to register to vote and participate in our democratic processes, even though voters approved it. He has refused to properly enforce environmental laws by allowing companies to dump deadly chemicals into our air and water.
No Virginian will forget his terrible budget that would have cut funding for education, extension services for farmers, state retirees' pensions and programs to feed the poor elderly people - at the same time that he wanted to give his lottery director a huge salary increase as a political payoff.
Voters will send King George (Allen) a clear message in November at the ballot box. When Republicans in the General Assembly are defeated, maybe then he'll understand how angry we are.
JAMES W. LAYNE
CLINTWOOD
Oklahoma bombers deserve no mercy
I DO NOT agree with Eric Sheffield (May 3 letter to the editor, ``Violence Begets More Violence'') that all violence is wrong.
I think that most people would approve of violence in the case of punishing the bombers. He asked, ``Would it make us feel better?'' The answer is yes.
Why should these people deserve to live after killing hundreds of innocent victims? Why should they serve only a jail sentence for taxpayers to support?
That is what is wrong with our country today. We do not punish for crimes that are committed by people like this. It has really gotten out of hand.
How would Mr. Sheffield feel if it were his family that was lost in this tragedy? Would he want to only jail these bombers, for them later to get out of prison for so-called good behavior? I should hope not.
He suggested that until we as a society can agree that all violence is wrong, we have no hope of living in a world of no fear. Until we get back to the Bible and ``an eye for an eye,'' we have no hope of living in a country of no fear. The Okalahoma bombers deserve the same they gave their victims: the death penalty.
ZONA GRISSOM
BLACKSBURG
by CNB